Dudley Products, Inc.
The Company - Its History

Dudley Products, Inc., a multi-million dollar Haircare and Cosmetics company, was co-founded and is co-owned by Dr. Joe L. Dudley, Sr. and Dr. Eunice Mosley Dudley.

Over the past 32 years Dudley Products, Inc. has flourished under the joint leadership of the Dudleys. Their dedication, hard work and persistence have taken the company from its very humble beginnings to a respected, world renowned position in the beauty industry.

Model For Development
The history and development of Dudley Products, Inc. is as perfect an example as possible that dedication, hard work and persistence can and does lead to achievement.

The seed for Dudley Products, Inc. was planted in 1957 when Joe L. Dudley, Sr. invested $10 in a sales kit and began selling Fuller Products door-to-door in Brooklyn, NY. In 1960 he met Eunice Mosley who was also selling Fuller Products to earn college tuition. They fell in love, married in 1961 and began their careers full-time with Fuller Products Company in 1962. They worked with Mr. S. B. Fuller, one of the giants in African American Entrepreneurship. Mr. Fuller's leadership and influence had a significant effect on them and greatly affected their growth and development activity.

Owners Make Own Products
In 1967, The Dudleys decided to open a Fuller Products Distributorship in Greensboro, NC.

When they were unable to secure enough products from Fuller to meet their customers' needs, they decided to make their own products until Fuller was again able to meet his customers' needs.

They initially made products in the family kitchen. Mrs. Dudley and, at that time, their two (2) children would package the products at night, and Mr. Dudley and his sales force would sell the products during the day. Later, they purchased the rights to Rosebud Products and the top selling Rosebud Hair Pomade. They renamed Rosebud Hair Pomade to Dudley's Scalp Special and started selling the product in whatever used containers they could get their hands on (used hair care product containers, and sometimes in jelly or mayonnaise jars). They would wash and sanitize the containers and fill them with Dudley's Scalp Special.

Achieved Success at Early Stage

By 1976, their sales force, then selling Dudley Products, had grown to more than 400. The Dudleys had opened the Dudley Beauty School and operated a chain of beauty supply stores throughout the southeast. Dudley Products, Inc. was a certified entrepreneurial success.

In 1976, the Dudleys moved to Chicago at the request of Mr. Fuller to assume major roles in running Fuller Products Company. Mr. Dudley was appointed President and Mrs. Dudley assumed a significant role in the advertising and purchasing areas. At the suggestion of Mr. Fuller, they continued to operate Dudley Products but their major focus was to help rebuild Fuller Products Company. It was during this time that the Dudleys entered the Partnership with Professional Cosmetologists and started selling the Dudley Professional Line directly to cosmetologists and barbers.

Achieves National Success

In 1984, the Dudleys moved Dudley Products back to Greensboro to rebuild their own business. Two (2) years later, in 1986, they opened a new 37,500 square foot Corporate Headquarters and Manufacturing Facility.

In 1989, they launched Dudley Cosmetology University (DCU) in Kernersville, NC. DCU offers a General Cosmetology Program and Advanced Training courses for licensed cosmetologists. The DCU presence led to building the DCU Cafeteria, Dudley Travel, the Dudley Inn and the Yeates Center.

In 1992, the Dudley Products Cosmetics line was launched. This exclusive line features blush, eye shadow, creme foundation, liquid makeup, lipstick, translucent powder, pressed powder, concealer and moisture stick, all designed with women of color in mind. By 1997, there were over 1,000 certified wholesalers of Dudley Cosmetics in place.

In late September, 1994, Dudley Products, Inc. moved into an 80,000 square foot state of the art facility that services the manufacturing and corporate office needs.

Continuous Expansion and Development

Also in 1994, Dudley made a significant expansion into the global haircare market by jointly developing training programs for Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil and a number of Caribbean countries such as Martinique, Guadeloupe and the Bahamas.

In 1995, Dudley launched its Collegiate Sales Manager Trainee Program. This program brings promising college students into the company to learn business, leadership and entrepreneurship skills. Over 60 students have participated in this program as of 1997.

Dudley Beauty School System consists of 8 schools: 4 schools are located in North Carolina; and one each in Chicago Illinois, Miami Florida, Washington DC and Baltimore Maryland.

In Partnership With the Professional Cosmetologist

For more than 30 years, the company has continued to flourish under the guidance of the Dudleys. With over 450 employees, Dudley manufactures and distributes more than 200 professional and retail hair care products and personal care cosmetics directly to cosmetologists and barbers in the United States and seven (7) foreign countries. The products, unlike many other lines of hair care products, are not sold to stores but are sold strictly through salons in an effort to help cosmetologists build their business.

In 1996, Dudley Products, Inc. ranked number 46 in Black Enterprise Magazine's Top 100 List of Black Businesses in the United States.

In 1997, Dudley brought on line Q-Nails: a professional nail care line with a complete assortment of manicure, pedicure, acrylic slick and fiberglass items.

Dudley Products, Inc. continues its support of the cosmetology industry on a daily basis.

Family Life

The Dudleys believe in families, often hiring entire families to work with their operations. The entire Dudley family is very active in the business. Eunice, is Chief Financial Officer; son Joe Jr., holds an MBA from Northwestem University and is Vice President of Finance; daughter Ursula Dudley Oglesby, is a graduate of Harvard Law School and is Director of Dudley Cosmetics, General Counsel for Dudley Products, Inc. and Vice President of Marketing. Youngest daughter, Genea, a recent graduate of Duke University's MBA Program is Brand Manager in the Marketing division. Drs. Joe and Eunice Dudley have one grandson, Mark Oglesby, Jr.